Crib Quilt c. 1940

This crib quilt, made by an anonymous artist, is a beautiful object, and so much more than a functional one. The geometric forms of the stars, carefully sewn from contrasting fabrics, show an improvisational approach, the stitches a record of the maker’s process. The navy blue and peach hues, separated by the seam lines, offer an infinite tonal range. Consider each triangle and square of fabric, the individual stitches, and imagine the physicality of the quilt maker as she painstakingly assembled the whole. You can see the slight puckering of the fabric, the way the colors shift in different light. These variations give the quilt a tactile quality, making you want to reach out and touch it. This piece reminds me of the work of Gee's Bend quilters, who share the same innovative use of geometric shapes and color. Quilts like this ask us to consider how artworks can embrace, and even celebrate, ambiguity and multiple meanings.